Telephone-register.



PATBNTED FEB. 14, 1905.

` M. HITT. TELEPHONE REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1903.

ff? Ver/7 for.

Hfo/'ney NRE UNITED STATES Patented February 14, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT IIITT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TELEPHONE-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,562, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed July 7,1903. Serial-No. 164,621.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, MERRITT HITT, of the city of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new or Improved Telephone-Register, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description or specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings and tothe letters marked thereon.

This invention relates to a new or improved register of thenumbers and names of andaddresses of persons or firms corresponding to said numbers in connection with a telephone system and exchange; and it hasfor its object to provide the members of a telephonesystem with a readily-accessible and quickly-operated device whereby the names and numbers of the persons or firms andthe residence or place of business of eachwith whom a subscriber or user of the telephone system frequently has to communicate, this by my present invention being effected without the necessity 4and taking of the time necessary to refer to the directory commonly issued by telephone companics.

Briefly, the invention consists of-a very readily and quickly operated appliance for finding telephone-numbers, names, and addresses.

The device constituting this invention consists of a cylinder of any suitable length mounted upon a central axis, upon which said cylinder is rotated by the hand of the user. Upon this cylinder there is wound spirally and fixed adhesively a strip of paper or like material, where the telephone-numbers and corresponding names or names and addresses are printed. These numbers and names and addresses are printed in parallel lines upon the said strip of paper at such an angle that when the strip of paper is wound spirally and adhesively upon the cylinder the lines of printing lie parallel tothe axis and surface of the cylinder and under each letter of the alphabet. For convenience in'use this apparatus is attached to and in sight of the user on his desk or table, so as to be always in sight and in proximity to the desk-telephone now so largely in use. A

Upon the annexed drawings, Figure I is a front elevation of the device constituting my invention, showinga portion of the cylinder broken out in order to shorten the drawing to correspond with the requirements of the Patent Office. Fig. 1I is a plan corresponding to Fig. I. Fig. III is a horizontal section corresponding to Figs. I and II. Fig. IV is anl end elevation of the said device.

In the Vfigures of drawings the cylinder is marked A, and it may be formed of a tube of paper, metal, wood, or other suliciently-sti material. The ends of the tube are fitted with disks B B, as shown in Figs. III and IV, with a hole in the center of each through which the metallic rod C C passes. The telephone numbers,na mes, and addresses are arranged on the surface of the cylinder A in parallel lines and of which several such numbers and addresses are shown on Figs. I and II, it being explained that part only or the whole of the cylindrical surface undereach letter of the alphabet is or may be occupied by the names corresponding to or commencing with such letter. The ends of the rod C are bent over at right angles to the length of the rod and are light enough to be easily sprung from the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig.III to the full-line positions of said ends shown in said figures. With these ends of the rod C C in the full-line positions they are pushed into two holes F and F' in the wood E of the desk or into a piece of material to be attached to the desk of the user, and the elasticity of these ends tending to return to the position shown in dotted lines causes the device to be rmly held in its position for operation and use while enabling it to be readily removed therefrom when required. i

It is to be understood that each number and name and address instead of being printed on a sheet of paper or other material and wound spirally on the cylinder may be printed on separate slips and adhesive] y fastened thereon; also, that instead of arranging the numbers and addresses spirally on the cylinder they may be arranged under each letter in cylindrical sections in place of in spiral continuity.

Having now described the nature of my said *invention and the best system, mode, or manner I am at present acquainted with for carry ing the same into practical eect, I desire to observe in conclusion that what I consider to IOO be novel and original, and therefore claim as the invention to be secured to me by Letters Patent, is as follows:

The telephone register or index consisting of a cylinder, on which the numbers, names, and addresses of the users or subscribers of the telephone system are arranged parallel to the surface and axis ofthe Cylinder, and iu groups or divisions corresponding with the letter of the alphabet, to which each number, name and address corresponds, the rod with the bent spring ends, on which rod the cylinder is aXially and rotatably mounted, and the table to which the rod is attached by its bent spring ends, all substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof(I I, the said MERRITT Hi'r'r, have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Los Angeles, aforesaid, inthe presence of two subscribing' witnesses.

MERRITT HITT. lL. s]

Witnesses:

Mrs. C. CAVANAUGH, ST. JOHN DAY. 

